Dan and Diane Hennelly, owners of Hennelly Tire and Auto Inc., are the winners of Modern Tire Dealer's 2013 Tire Dealer of the Year award. They operate The Tire Choice and Total Car Care stores based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
The Hennellys were chosen for the tire industry's most prestigious award from more than 33,000 eligible independent tire dealers throughout North America.
The Hennellys are MTD's 21st Tire Dealer of the Year. They were selected by a panel of independent judges who based their decision on the Hennellys' business success, marketing skills, management skills, industry knowledge and community involvement.
"Dan and Diane Hennelly overcame the most challenging economic environment this nation has seen in decades to grow their dealership to 35 stores in just nine years," says MTD Publisher Greg Smith.
"Their ability to balance business and family has made The Tire Choice a success in Florida. We are honored to name Dan and Diane as our Tire Dealer of the Year."
As part of the award, MTD will donate $1,000 and a percentage of congratulatory ad revenue to the Hennellys' charity of choice, Autism Speaks. The Tire Choice suppliers that ran ads in the September issue of Modern Tire Dealer are: American Car Care Centers, American Tire Distributors, Amprop Development Corp., Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., Autopart International Inc., Bridgestone Americas Inc., Florida Tire Supply Co., Hunter Engineering Co., Michelin North America Inc., Myers Tire Supply Co., NAPA Auto Parts, Navex Inc., Pirelli Tire North America, Rotary Lift, Tire Centers LLC, Valassis Communications Inc., Valvoline and Yokohama Tire Corp.
Hennelly Tire and Auto Inc. has 35 Tire Choice stores and is 31st on the Modern Tire Dealer 100 list of the nation's top independent tire dealer chains.
Past Tire Dealer of the Year award winners include industry giants like the late Les Schwab of Les Schwab Tire Centers based in Bend, Ore.; Bob Sullivan of Sullivan Tire Co. Inc. of Norwell, Mass.; Bob and Juanita Purcell of Purcell Tire & Rubber Co. based in Potosi, Mo.; and Paul Zurcher of Best-One Tire & Service based in Monroe, Ind.
For an in-depth look at the Hennellys and how they became the MTD Tire Dealer of the Year, see the September 2013 issue of MTD, read the digital version of the September issue found on our homepage, or click here. Congratulate the Hennellys on the MTD Facebook page (and be sure to "like" the story, too!).
